About the Grand Haven Musical Fountain

The Grand Haven Musical Fountain is an enchanting spectacle of water and lights creatively synchronized to a wide variety of well-known musical selections.

Each 25-30 minute show is free and plays nightly at dark from Memorial Day through Labor Day as well as Fridays and Saturdays in May (starting as early as we can get ready) and September. We have been entertaining audiences since 1962!

Join us in the Lynne Sherwood Waterfront Stadium to view one of our performances.

Creating The Grand Haven Musical Fountain

The first summer show occurred on May 30, 1963. The Musical Fountain has provided free nightly shows from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day ever since with additional weekend shows in May and September. These shows have been made possible by a group of individuals bringing a dream to life for the City of Grand Haven.

Miley Cyrus’s Party In The USA as performed on the Grand Haven Musical Fountain

A vintage computer with a large monitor, keyboard, and stacks of printer paper sits beside a reel-to-reel tape machine—evoking the era when shows like the Grand Haven Musical Fountain were programmed by hand—in this black-and-white photo.

The Grand Haven Musical Fountain has been made possible through visionary and Grand Haven native, Dr. William "Bill" Creason (1922-2014). As a longtime resident, and former mayor of Grand Haven, Dr. Creason saw the potential for Grand Haven waterfront to become a place when the community gathered and enjoyed the beauty of the city. While serving as a dentist for the US Navy during World War II, he came across the Przystawic Musical Fountain Show in Germany; the inspiration for the Grand Haven Musical Fountain.  Learn more about the Musical Fountain History.

A man in a trench coat and hat stands beside a row of industrial pipes and valves inside a facility, observing the machinery—echoing the era when innovations like the Grand Haven Musical Fountain were revolutionizing public displays.
Black and white photo of construction site with many metal pipes and scaffolding, a worker standing on a box working on pipes, outdoor landscape with trees, hills, and a fence in the background.
Three large loudspeakers mounted on poles line a sandy embankment by the water, reminiscent of the setup at the Grand Haven Musical Fountain, with buildings and industrial structures visible across the river in the background.
A black and white image of an industrial room with large pipes, pumps, and valves, arranged in rows along the floor and walls, reminiscent of the backstage machinery powering displays like the Grand Haven Musical Fountain.
A man stands outside a modern, angular concrete building, gesturing toward a large glass panel. A sign above him provides information about Dr. William (Bill) Creason and the significance of the Grand Haven Musical Fountain location.
A man in a suit stands with hands clasped, smiling slightly, in front of a large array of circular electronic equipment—possibly related to the Grand Haven Musical Fountain—in this striking black-and-white photo.

Dr. William Creason

Bernie Boyink

 Preston Bilz

Walter Bruin

Glenn DePagter

Tom Fullerton

William Morris Booth II

Dick Hammer

Foster Poe

George Purcell

J. B. Sims

Clarence Smith

Ron Hartsema

R. V. Terrill

George VerDuin Sr.

Bob Warnaar

Marshall White

A group of people, mostly children, are scattered on a sloped grassy area near a large, rectangular, unfinished playground structure with curved metal bars, just beyond the view of the Grand Haven Musical Fountain.

The Grand Haven Musical Fountain was designed by a local engineer, William Morris Booth II. It was built in 1962 by volunteers at an estimated cost of $50,000. At the time, it was the largest musical fountain in the world and held the title until 1998.

The Grand Haven Musical Fountain celebrated 60 years of shows in 2022 and honored the legacy of the many volunteers that made this spectacle of water, lights, and music possible. The Grand Haven Musical Fountain committee and Friends of the Musical Fountain organization are thankful for the original seventeen individual committee for their time and dedication to brining the fountain to life. The original fountain committee included:

The start and end of every Grand Haven Musical Fountain show features "The Voice of the Fountain". Over the years, this role has been filled by show producers and volunteers. The fountain was originally voiced committee member, Ron Hartsema (1932-2021). Ron voiced the fountain from from 1962 until 2006, when through fountain received a controls upgrade. While apart of the committee, Ron helped produce and record over 200 original fountain programs.

A man in a suit and hat observes the Grand Haven Musical Fountain, its metal pipes arranged in circular and straight patterns atop a flat concrete surface, with grassy areas and trees providing a scenic backdrop.

Behind The Scenes At The Grand Haven Musical Fountain

The Grand Haven Musical Fountain is a complex system. It pairs pneumatic, hydraulic, electrical distribution, sound, music, LED lighting, and ethernet to a computer & Programmable Logic Controller to perform one of its many shows.

The Grand Haven Musical Fountain is comprised of seven modules.  The modules grouped as odd (1-3-5-7) and even (2-4-6) sections. When the fountain was built, all odd modules were plumbed together and all even modules were plumbed together.  Along the front of the fountain, you will find nozzles that create the front curtain of water.  At the back of the fountain is the Peacock, a large fan-like array constructed from fire hose nozzles.  In the middle of the fountain is the Center Nozzle, this is known as The Voice of the Fountain.   Tucked in the back corners of the fountain are the Bazooka.  These create the overarching affect on the fountain.

As the music plays, you can expect to also see the different ring formations, candelabras, and sweeps moving about with the music. The sweeps are one of three moving water features on the fountain. In 2017, our second moving water feature was added. The Helix brings new movement and height to the fountain. For the fountain's 60th Birthday, it was gifted it's third moving water feature, the Doves.

While the Wave feature is stationary in the back of the fountain, it consists of 50 individual nozzles that can be programmed together or independently.

Looking to learn more? Dive into the technical side of the Grand Haven Musical Fountain.

Van Helen’s Jump as performed on the Grand Haven Musical Fountain

Making A Splash In The Media

We are thankful for the different media outlets that continue to support and promote The Grand Haven Musical Fountain. See the below links to hear from fountain volunteers and committee members about some of the upgrades and changes to The Grand Haven Musical Fountain over the years.

2025 Season Updates

2024 Season Updates

Cyndi Lauper Girls Just Want To Have Fun as performed on the Grand Haven Musical Fountain

Fun with the Fountain!